Cover glass and electronic device comprising same

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a cover for an electronic device and includes a transparent substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a pattern layer having a first color and formed on a first area and a second area of the second surface of the transparent substrate, the pattern layer including one or more holes formed in a portion of the pattern layer corresponding to the second area, a light reflection layer formed beneath the pattern layer and including a reflecting surface facing the pattern layer, and a color layer having a second color different than the first color, the color layer being formed between the pattern layer and the light reflection layer, wherein the reflecting surface is formed such that light reflected on the reflecting surface passes through the color layer and at least a portion of the one or more holes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a Continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/530,031, filed Aug. 2, 2019, and is based on andclaims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No.10-2018-0090330, filed on Aug. 2, 2018, in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosures of each of which are incorporatedherein by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The disclosure generally relates to a cover glass and an electronicdevice including the same, and more particularly, to a self-luminouscover glass and an electronic device including the same.

2. Description of Related Art

Distinguishing features of hardware and software from electronic devicemanufacturers have gradually become insignificant, causing interest togrow in improving the performance of electronic devices, as well asimproving aesthetically pleasing appearances of electronic devices anddifferentiating electronic devices in terms of design. As an example,the number of electronic devices employing a front display design thatmaximizes a display area is gradually increasing. An electronic devicehaving a front display uses a cover window in order to protect thedisplay surface. The cover window is made of a glass material due to thestrong surface hardness and excellent optical performance thereof.However, limitations in design become apparent due to thecharacteristics of the glass material and the method of printing thefront glass.

To implement a front-glass-type cover glass in an electronic device, itmay be necessary to adopt a new form of design in order to satisfyusers' desire for an aesthetically pleasing appearance and to achievecustomization.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made to address the above-mentionedproblems and disadvantages, and to provide at least the advantagesdescribed below.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a cover for anelectronic device includes a transparent substrate including a firstsurface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a patternlayer having a first color and formed on a first area and a second areaof the second surface of the transparent substrate, the pattern layerincluding one or more holes formed in a portion of the pattern layercorresponding to the second area, a light reflection layer formedbeneath the pattern layer and including a reflecting surface facing thepattern layer, and a color layer having a second color different thanthe first color, the color layer being formed between the pattern layerand the light reflection layer, wherein the reflecting surface is formedsuch that light reflected on the reflecting surface passes through thecolor layer and at least a portion of the one or more holes.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, anelectronic device includes a housing including an opening formedtherein, and a cover attached to the housing and being positioned overthe opening, the cover including a transparent substrate including afirst surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, apattern layer having a first color and formed on a first area and asecond area of the second surface of the transparent substrate, thepattern layer including one or more holes formed in a portion of thepattern layer corresponding to the second area, a light reflection layerformed beneath the pattern layer and including a reflecting surfacefacing the pattern layer, and a color layer having a second colordifferent than the first color, the color layer being formed between thepattern layer and the light reflection layer, wherein the reflectingsurface is formed such that light reflected on the reflecting surfacepasses through the color layer and at least a portion of the one or moreholes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certainembodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the front surface of a mobileelectronic device, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the rear surface of the electronicdevice of FIG. 1A, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2A illustrates a side face of an electronic device, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2B illustrates a side face of an electronic device, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 7A represents a difference in optical effect of a cover window,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7B represents a difference in optical effect of a cover window,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment;

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment; and

FIG. 11 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A cover window and an electronic device may have a front plate or a rearplate, which is bent in a peripheral area or an edge area thereof. Thecover window may be formed in a stacked structure in which a pluralityof patterns are formed on an optical pattern layer from a curved pointat which the glass substrate is bent toward an outside area, and thecolor layer and the mirror layer are stacked to be separated from eachother such that the materials thereof are not mixed with each other. Asa result, the color of the color layer may be exhibited in the presenceof natural light without a separate light-emission unit.

Rather than artificially implementing a color, the cover window and theelectronic device according to various embodiments may or may notexhibit the color corresponding to the color layer depending on thepresence or absence of the color layer. Accordingly, it is possible notonly to achieve a design differentiation effect of the electronicdevice, but it is also possible to create a design having anaesthetically pleasing appearance.

The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one ofvarious types of electronic devices. The electronic devices may include,for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), acomputer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medicaldevice, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. According toan embodiment of the disclosure, the electronic devices are not limitedto those described above.

It should be appreciated that various embodiments of the presentdisclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit thetechnological features set forth herein to particular embodiments andinclude various changes, equivalents, or replacements for acorresponding embodiment. With regard to the description of thedrawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar orrelated elements. It is to be understood that a singular form of a nouncorresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unlessthe relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, eachof such phrases as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one ofA or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least oneof A, B, or C,” may include any one of, or all possible combinations ofthe items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. Asused herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd,” or “first” and “second” maybe used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another,and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance ororder). It is to be understood that if an element (e.g., a firstelement) is referred to, with or without the term “operatively” or“communicatively”, as “coupled with,” “coupled to,” “connected with,” or“connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), it means thatthe element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g.,wiredly), wirelessly, or via a third element.

As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented inhardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used withother terms, for example, “logic,” “logic block,” “part,” or“circuitry”. A module may be a single integral component, or a minimumunit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. Forexample, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in aform of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments ofthe disclosure may be included and provided in a computer programproduct. The computer program product may be traded as a product betweena seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed inthe form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc readonly memory (CD-ROM)), or be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded)online via an application store (e.g., PlayStore™), or between two userdevices (e.g., smart phones) directly. If distributed online, at leastpart of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or atleast temporarily stored in the machine-readable storage medium, such asmemory of the manufacturer's server, a server of the application store,or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or aprogram) of the above-described components may include a single entityor multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more ofthe above-described components may be omitted, or one or more othercomponents may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality ofcomponents (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a singlecomponent. In such a case, according to various embodiments, theintegrated component may still perform one or more functions of each ofthe plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they areperformed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components beforethe integration. According to various embodiments, operations performedby the module, the program, or another component may be carried outsequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or moreof the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, orone or more other operations may be added.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the front surface of a mobileelectronic device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the rear surface of the electronicdevice of FIG. 1A, according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, an electronic device 100 includes ahousing 110 including a first surface (or front surface) 110A, a secondsurface (or rear surface) 110B, and a side surface 110C surrounding thespace between the first surface 110A and the second surface 110B. Thehousing may denote a structure that forms a part of the first surface110A, the second surface 110B, and the side surface 110C. The firstsurface 110A may be formed by a front plate 102, at least a part ofwhich is substantially transparent (for example, a glass plate includingvarious coating layers, or a polymer plate). The second surface 110B maybe formed by a rear plate 111 that is substantially opaque. The rearplate 111 may be made of coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer,metal (for example, aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or acombination of at least two of the above-mentioned materials. The sidesurface 110C may be formed by a side bezel structure (or side member)118 which is coupled to the front plate 102 and to the rear plate 111,and which includes metal and/or polymer. The rear plate 111 and the sidebezel structure 118 may be formed integrally and may include the samematerial (for example, a metal material such as aluminum).

The front plate 102 may include two first areas 110D on both ends of thelong edge of the front plate 102 such that the two first areas 110D bendfrom the first surface 110A toward the rear plate 111 and extendseamlessly. The rear plate 111 may include two second areas 110E on bothends of the long edge such that the two second areas 110E bend from thesecond surface 110B toward the front plate 102 and extend seamlessly.The front plate 102 or the rear plate 111 may include only one of thefirst areas 110D or the second areas 110E. Alternatively, a part of thefirst areas 110D or the second areas 110E may not be included. When seenfrom the side surface of the electronic device 100, the side bezelstructure 118 may have a first thickness (or width) on a part of theside surface, which does not include the first areas 110D or the secondareas 110E as described above, and may have a second thickness that issmaller than the first thickness on a part of the side surface, whichincludes the first areas 110D or the second areas 110E.

The electronic device 100 may include at least one of a display 101, afirst audio module 103, a second audio module 107, and a third audiomodule 114, a first sensor module 104, a second sensor module 116, and athird sensor module 119, a first camera module 105, a second cameramodule 112, and a third camera module 113, a key input device 117, alight-emitting element 106, and a first connector hole 108 and a secondconnector hole 109. At least one of the constituent elements (forexample, the key input device 117 or the light-emitting element 106) ofthe electronic device 100 may be omitted, or the electronic device 100may additionally include another constituent element.

The display 101 may be exposed through a corresponding part of the frontplate 102. At least a part of the display 101 may be exposed through thefront plate 102 that forms the first areas 110D of the side surface 110Cand the first surface 110A. The display 101 may have a corner formed insubstantially the same shape as that of the adjacent outer periphery ofthe front plate 102. In order to increase the area of exposure of thedisplay 101, the interval between the outer periphery of the display 101and the outer periphery of the front plate 102 may be formed to besubstantially identical.

A recess or an opening may be formed in a part of the screen displayarea of the display 101, and at least one of a third audio module 114, asensor module 104, a first camera module 105, and a light-emittingelement 106 may be included and aligned with the recess or the opening.On the back surface of the screen display area of the display 101, atleast one of a third audio module 114, a sensor module 104, a firstcamera module 105, a second sensor module 116 (e.g., a fingerprintsensor), and a light-emitting element 106 may be included. The display101 may be coupled to or arranged adjacent to a touch sensing circuit, apressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of atouch, and/or a digitizer that detects a magnetic field-type stylus pen.At least a part of the first sensor module 104 and the second sensormodule 116 and/or at least a part of the key input device 117 may bearranged in the first areas 110D and/or the second areas 110E.

The first audio module 103 may include a microphone hole, the secondaudio module 107 may include a first speaker hole, and the third audiomodule 114 may include a second speaker hole. A microphone for acquiringan external sound may be arranged in the first audio module 103, and aplurality of microphones may be arranged therein such that the directionof a sound can be sensed. The first speaker hole (i.e., an outer speakerhole) and the second speaker hole (i.e., a speech receiver hole). Thefirst speaker hole and the second speaker hole and the microphone holemay be implemented as a single hole, or a speaker may be included (forexample, a piezoelectric speaker) without the first speaker hole and thesecond speaker hole.

The first sensor module 104, the second sensor module 116, and the thirdsensor module 119 may generate an electric signal or a data valuecorresponding to the internal operating condition of the electronicdevice 100 or the external environment condition thereof. The firstsensor module 104, the second sensor module 116, and the third sensormodule 119 may include, for example, a proximity sensor (i.e., the firstsensor module 104) arranged on the first surface 110A of the housing110, and/or a fingerprint sensor module (i.e., the second sensor module116), and/or an HRM sensor (i.e., the third sensor module 119) arrangedon the second surface 110B of the housing 110, and/or a fingerprintsensor (i.e., the second sensor module 116). The fingerprint sensor maybe arranged not only on the first surface 110A (for example, a display)of the housing 110, but also on the second surface 110B thereof. Theelectronic device 100 may further include a sensor module, for example,at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressuresensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, acolor sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperaturesensor, a humidity sensor, or a luminance sensor.

The first camera module 105 may include a first camera device arrangedon the first surface 110A of the electronic device 100, the secondcamera module 112 may include a second camera device arranged on thesecond surface 110B, and the third camera module 113 may include a flashlight. The first camera device and the second camera device may includea single lens or a plurality of lenses, an image sensor, and/or an imagesignal processor. The flash light may include, for example, alight-emitting diode or a xenon lamp. Two or more lenses (i.e., aninfrared camera, a wide-angle lens, and a telephoto lens) and imagesensors may be arranged on a single surface of the electronic device100.

The key input device 117 may be arranged on the side surface 110C of thehousing 110. The electronic device 100 may not include a part of or allof the above-mentioned key input device 117, which may be implemented inanother type, such as a soft key, on the display 101. The key inputdevice may include a second sensor module 116 arranged on the secondsurface 110B of the housing 110.

The light-emitting element 106 may be arranged on the first surface 110Aof the housing 110. The light-emitting element 106 may provideinformation regarding the condition of the electronic device 100 in alight type. The light-emitting element 106 may provide a light sourcethat interworks with some or all of the operations of the first cameramodule 105, for example. The light-emitting element 106 may include, forexample, a light emitting diode (LED), an IR LED, and a xenon lamp.

The first connector hole 108 and the second connector hole 109 mayinclude a first connector hole 108 capable of containing a connector(i.e., a USB connector) for transmitting/receiving power and/or datato/from an external electronic device, and/or a second connector hole(i.e., an earphone jack) 109 capable of containing a connector fortransmitting/receiving an audio signal to/from the external electronicdevice.

A cover window comprises the optical pattern layer, the color layer, andthe mirror layer. A bent area (e.g., the second areas 110D or 110E) ofthe cover window may exhibit, when natural light is present, the colorof the color layer due to the optical action caused by the color layerand the mirror layer. The bent area may also exhibit, when no naturallight is present, the black color since no colored light reflected bythe mirror layer is present

An electronic device according to various embodiments includes a coverwindow including a glass substrate, an optical pattern layer stacked ona first area and a second area of the glass substrate in which aplurality of patterns are formed, a color layer stacked on the opticalpattern layer of the second area in which the a plurality of patternsare formed, and a mirror layer stacked on the color layer of the secondlayer such that the mirror layer and the color layer are separated fromeach other; and a display attached to the cover window in which themirror is stacked, and in the second area, natural light is capable ofexhibiting the color of the color layer due to an optical reactionbetween the color layer and the mirror layer.

The electronic device may further include a shield layer disposedbetween the mirror layer and the display.

The first area of a first face of the glass substrate, which is exposedto the outside, may be a planar area, the second area may be a bentarea, at least a portion of which has a curved shape with reference to acurved point, the optical pattern layer may be a black layer, and eachof the plurality of patterns may be implemented in the second area in ahole shape in which the black does not exist.

The color layer may be a translucent color layer printed using ink of aspecific color, the mirror layer may be stacked after a drying processis performed such that the material of the color layer and the materialof the mirror layer are not mixed with each other, and the mirror layermay have a mirror effect of 55% or more and may be formed of an opaquecoating layer having low transmittance.

The color layer may be formed such that when natural light is present,the natural light is transmitted through the plurality of patterns ofthe optical pattern layer and is refracted and/or reflected by themirror layer. The natural light may be held in the color layer by theoptical reaction between the color layer and the mirror layer, and mayexhibit the color of the color layer. When no natural light is present,the color layer exhibits a black color.

The second area may be a peripheral area, at least a portion of whichoverlaps a bezel area of the electronic device.

The color layer and the mirror layer are stacked only in the second areain which the display is not disposed.

The shape of a cover window included in a front plate will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIG. 2A illustrates a side face of an electronic device, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 2B illustrates a side face of an electronic device, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an electronic device 200 may include acover window 202 attached onto a display. Although FIGS. 2A and 2B showthe front cover window 202, the rear plate 111 (i.e., a rear coverwindow) may be disposed on the rear face of the electronic device 200.When the rear cover window is disposed, the electronic device 200 may beimplemented in a shape in which all of the peripheral or edge areas ofthe front face and the rear face have curved shapes.

A glass substrate 203 included in the cover window 202 may include aplanar area 210A formed in a planar shape on the surface of the display101, as well as bent areas 210D seamlessly connected to the planar area210D.

The bent areas 210A of the glass substrate 203 may be formed as edges atopposite ends on both the left and right sides of the electronic device(e.g., in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction of the electronicdevice), or as a periphery surrounding the planar area 210A in theup-and-down and right-and-left directions of the planar area 210A (e.g.,in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, or vertical and horizontaldirections of the electronic device). The bent areas 210D of the glasssubstrate 203 may be processed to have a curved shape having apredetermined curvature. The bent areas may be formed to have a linearcut shape or a combination of a linear shape and a curved shape.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, when the glass substrate 203 is divided intothe planar area 210A and the bent areas 210D when viewed from a side ofthe electronic device 100, the upper faces of the left and right bentareas 210D may be formed in a curved shape starting from curved points,and the rear faces thereof may be formed in a planar shape (e.g., a twoand a half dimensional (2.5D) type shape. When the glass substrate 203is formed in the 2.5D type shape, since the rear faces of the bent areas210D are formed in a planar shape in the electronic device 200, a planardisplay may be attached to the rear faces of the glass substrate 203. Inthe bent areas 210D of the glass substrate 203, an optical patternlayer, a color layer, and a mirror layer may be stacked in a state ofbeing separated from each other. In FIG. 2A, since the rear faces of thebent areas 210D are formed in a planar shape, the optical pattern layer,the color layer, and the mirror layer, which are disposed on the rearfaces of the glass substrate 203, may be stacked in a planar shape.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, a glass substrate 202 including a planar area211A and the bent areas 211D may be formed such that the upper faces inthe bent areas 211D and the rear surfaces thereof are simultaneouslybent starting from curved points (e.g., a 3D type shape). When the glasssubstrate 204 is formed in the 3D type shape, in the electronic device200, the display may be attached in a curved shape in the bent areas211D along the bent shape of the rear face of the glass substrate 204.Since the rear face of the glass substrate 204 in the case of FIG. 2B isbent in the bent areas 211D, the optical pattern layer, the color layer,and the mirror layer may also be stacked on the bent areas along thebent shape.

The display may be arranged to enable the input and output of data up toan area including at least a portion of each of the first planar area210A or the second planar area 211A and the left and right bent areas210D or 211D. The display may be implemented using any one of a liquidcrystal display (LCD), an LED display, an organic LED (OLED) display, amicro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) display, a flexible display, oran electronic paper display, but is not limited thereto. In FIG. 2B, thedisplay may be formed of a flexible material.

The electronic device 200 may control the display to configure a screenonly in the first planar area 210A or the second planner area 211A. Theelectronic device 202 may control the display to configure a screenincluding the first planar area 210A or the second planar area 211A andany one of the left and right bent areas 210D or 211D. The electronicdevice 200 may control the display to form a screen only on at least oneof the left and right bent areas 210D or 211D, not including the planarareas 210A or 211A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a cover window may be fabricated using asilkscreen-printing method. The cover window may have a structure, inwhich an optical pattern layer 320, a color layer 330, a mirror layer340, and a shielding layer 350 are stacked on the rear face of the glasssubstrate 303 including a planar area 310A and bent areas 310D. Theoptical pattern layer 320 is a layer in which a plurality of patternsare formed in the bent areas 310D starting from curved points P of theglass substrate 303. Additionally, the color layer 330, the mirror layer340, and the shielding layer 350 may be stacked on the optical patternlayer 320 of the bent areas 310D.

The upper face of the glass substrate 303 may be exposed on the frontface of the electronic device. In the glass substrate 303 including theplanar area 310A and the bent areas 310D, the upper faces of the leftand right partial bent areas 310D are formed as curved faces startingfrom the curved points P, and the rear faces of the left and rightpartial bent areas 310D are formed in a planar shape (e.g., a 2.5Dtype). For example, the upper face of the glass substrate 303 exposed tothe outside may be shaped to have bent areas, which are at leastpartially bent by an extrusion operation of an upper mold. The shape ofthe bent areas 310D of the glass substrate 303 may be formed usingvarious methods, such as an etching process, a polishing process, and asandblasting process. A 2.5D-type glass substrate may have a curvedshape in which the glass substrate is curved laterally in the bent areas310D like the shape of the glass substrate 303, but a 2.5D-type glasssubstrate may be implemented in a straight shape like the shape of aglass substrate 303-1. The shape of the glass substrate of 303 or 303-1may be applied to a 2.5D-type glass substrate at the time ofmanufacturing an electronic device.

The glass substrate 303 may be formed of a transparent glass material(e.g., a conductive glass such as sapphire glass, F-doped SnO₂ (FTO), orindium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent synthetic resin material, or aceramic material.

The optical pattern layer 320 may be stacked and attached to the planararea 310A and the bent areas 310D of the rear surface of the glasssubstrate 303 in a planar shape. The optical pattern layer 320 may be ablack pattern layer formed using a silkscreen-printing method. Theoptical pattern layer 320 may be black-coated on the planar area 310A,and a plurality of patterns may be printed on the bent areas 310Dstarting from one or more of the curved points P. The optical patternlayer 320 may serve to block components of the electronic devicedisposed under the cover window so as not to be visible from theoutside. The plurality of patterns printed on the bent areas 310D may beprinted using a silkscreen-printing method in the form in which the samea plurality of patterns are disposed or the plurality of patterns areincreased or decreased in size. It can be understood that the pluralityof patterns are in the form of a hole in which no black is printed. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 3 , a plurality of patterns printed onthe optical pattern layer 320 may constitute one or more patterns inwhich the size of dots gradually increases from one or more of the curvepoints P toward outside the electronic device. The shapes, sizes,arrangement intervals, or an increase/decrease of form in the size ofthe plurality of patterns in the bent areas 310D may be variouslyimplemented depending on the silkscreen-printed design.

The color layer 330 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 320 in the bent areas 310D. The color layer 330 may be atranslucent film layer having a specific color and stacked using asilkscreen-printing method. The color layer 330 may serve to emit lightof a specific color due to an optical reaction between a natural lightincident through the plurality of patterns implemented on the opticalpattern layer 320 and light reflected by the mirror layer 340. The colorlayer 330 may be attached to the bent areas, but may also be attached toat least a portion of the planar area 310A starting from each of thecurved points P.

The mirror layer 340 may be separately stacked on the optical patternlayer 320 formed in the bent areas 310D. The mirror layer 340 may beformed using a screen-printing method. The mirror layer 340 may have amirror effect of at least 55% or more in order to enhance the mirroreffect, and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of a metal materialhaving low transmittance. The mirror layer 340 may serve to guidereflection or refraction of light such that the light is held in thecolor layer 330.

The mirror layer 340 may be stacked using a silkscreen-printing methodafter forming the color layer 330 using a silkscreen-printing method,and may be stacked after a drying process such that the material of thecolor layer 330 and the material of the mirror layer 340 are not mixedwith each other.

The shielding layer 350 may be stacked on the mirror layer 340, which isstacked on the bent areas 310D. The shielding layer 350 may be a blacklayer, and may be formed using a silkscreen-printing method.

In the cover window, since the mirror layer 340 and the color layer 330are stacked separate from each other rather than being mixed with eachother, when natural light is present, the cover window is capable ofgenerating an effect of causing the bent areas 310D to naturally emitlight in the color of the color layer 330 due to the optical actioncaused by the optical pattern layer 320, the color layer 330, and themirror layer 340. For example, since the natural light incident throughthe pattern of the optical pattern layer 320 is reflected by the mirrorlayer 340 and is reflected outside the electronic device through theoptical pattern layer 320, the user recognizes the light as having theshape or pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the bent areas310D and having the color of the color layer 330. Since the planar area310A of the optical pattern layer 320 is coated with a black color, theplanar area 310A prevents the colored light reflected by the mirror 340from passing therethrough. When natural light is not present, there isno light reflected by the mirror layer 340 after passing through theoptical pattern layer 320. Therefore, the user recognizes not only theplanar area 310A but also the bent areas 310D as having a black color.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , a cover window may be fabricated using asilkscreen-printing method and/or a laser-engraving method. The coverwindow may have a structure in which an optical pattern layer 420, acolor layer 430, a mirror layer 440, and a shielding layer 450 arestacked on the rear face of the glass substrate 403 including a planararea 410A and bent areas 410D. The cover window may further include theblack layer 425, which is printed with black ink, between the opticalpattern layer 420 and the glass substrate 403.

The glass substrate 403 may be a type in which the upper faces of leftand right bent areas 410D starting from curved points P are formed ascurved faces while the rear face thereof is formed as a planar face(e.g., a 2.5D type). However, besides the shape of the glass substrate403, the glass substrate 403 may be implemented in a linear shape likethe shape of glass substrate 403-1. The shape of the glass substrate 403or 403-1 may be applied to a 2.5D-type glass substrate at the time ofmanufacturing an electronic device. The glass substrate 403 may beformed of a transparent glass material (e.g., conductive glass such assapphire glass, FTO, or ITO, a transparent synthetic resin material, ora ceramic material.

On the optical pattern layer 420, a black layer 425 may be printed usingblack ink through a silkscreen-printing method, a black color or ink maybe dually printed on the black layer 425, and then a plurality ofpatterns may be formed only in the bent areas 410D starting from thecurved points P of the glass substrate 403 using a laser-engravingmethod. Each of the plurality of patterns formed in the bent areas 410Dis in the form of a hole in which the black color or ink is not printedor from which the black color or ink is stripped. For example, theoptical pattern layer 425 may be formed through ultrasonic cleaning anddrying after the black films in the portion in which the plurality ofpatterns are to be formed using the laser-engraving method are stripped.When the laser-engraving method is used, it is possible to implement theoptical pattern layer 420 which has improved pattern accuracy comparedto the silkscreen-printing technique. The plurality of patterns formedin the optical pattern layer 420 may be formed in a type in which thesizes of the plurality of patterns gradually increase toward the outsidestarting from the curved points P at which the optical pattern layer 420is transformed into the bent areas 410D. Additionally, the sizes,shapes, or arrangement intervals of a plurality of patterns may bevariously set.

The color layer 430 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 420 in the bent areas 410D. The color layer 430 may be atranslucent layer having a specific color and stacked using asilkscreen-printing method. The color layer 430 may serve to emit lightof a specific color due to an optical reaction between natural lightincident through the a plurality of patterns implemented on the opticalpattern layer 420 and the black layer 425 and the light reflected by themirror layer 440.

The mirror layer 440 may be separately stacked on the optical patternlayer 420 formed in the bent areas 410D. The mirror layer 440 may beformed using a screen-printing method. The mirror layer 440 may have amirror effect of at least 55% or more in order to enhance the mirroreffect, and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of a metal materialhaving low transmittance. The mirror layer 440 may serve to guidereflection or refraction of light such that the light is held in thecolor layer 430. The mirror layer 440 may be formed using asilkscreen-printing method to form the color layer 430, and the mirrorlayer 440 may be stacked using a silkscreen-printing method after adrying process such that the material of the color layer 430 and thematerial of the mirror layer 440 are not mixed with each other.

The shielding layer 450 may be stacked on the mirror layer 440 stackedon the bent areas 410D. The shielding layer 450 may be a black layer,and may be formed using a silkscreen-printing method.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a cover window may be fabricated using afilm-laminating method. The cover window may have a structure in whichan optical adhesive layer 527 and a light-transmissive protective layer525 are stacked on the rear face of a glass substrate 503 including aplanar area 510A and bent areas 510D, and an optical pattern layer 520,a color layer 530, and a mirror layer 540 are stacked on the protectivelayer 525 using the film-laminating method.

The upper face of the glass substrate 503 may be exposed on the frontface of the electronic device. In the glass substrate 503 including theplanar area 510A and the bent areas 510D, the upper faces of the leftand right bent areas 510D are formed as curved faces starting from thecurved points P, and the rear faces of the left and right partial bentareas 510D are formed in a planar shape (e.g., a 2.5D type). A 2.5D-typeglass substrate may have a curved shape in which the glass substrate iscurved laterally in the bent areas 510D like the shape of the glasssubstrate 503, but a 2.5D-type glass substrate may be implemented in astraight shape like the shape of the glass substrate 503-1. The shape ofthe glass substrate of 503 or 503-1 may be applied to a 2.5D-type glasssubstrate at the time of manufacturing an electronic device.

The optical adhesive layer 527 may be formed of an adhesive material oftransparent double-sided tape-type optically clear adhesive (OCA) or apressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) on the planar area 510A and the bentareas 510D on the rear face of the glass substrate 503 in a planarshape. The protective layer 525 may be made of a light-transmissivepolyethylene terephthalate (PET) material. The optical adhesive layer527 and the protective layer 525 may serve to improve the optical effectof the optical pattern layer 520 and to bond the optical pattern layer520 and the glass substrate 503 to each other.

The optical pattern layer 503 may be a black pattern layer formed usingblack ink through a silkscreen-printing method. The optical patternlayer 503 may be formed using a laser-engraving method after thesilkscreen-printing using the black ink. Each of the a plurality ofpatterns of the optical pattern layer 520 may be implemented only in thebent areas 510D starting from the curved points P of the glass substrate503 in the form of a hole in which no black is printed or from which theblack is stripped. The shapes, sizes, arrangement intervals, an increaseform in size, or a decrease form in size of the a plurality of patternsin the bent area 510D may be variously implemented depending on whethera silkscreen-printed design or a laser engraved design is implemented.

The color layer 530 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 520 in the bent areas 510D. The color layer 530 may be laminatedwith a coating effect, and may be a translucent layer having a specificcolor. The color layer 530 may serve to emit light in a specific colordue to an optical reaction between natural light incident through theplurality of patterns implemented on the optical pattern layer 520 andlight reflected by the mirror layer 540.

The mirror layer 540 may be separately stacked on the optical patternlayer 520 formed in the bent areas 510D. The mirror layer 540 may beformed of a laminated mirror having a coating effect. The mirror layer540 may have a mirror effect of at least 55% or more in order to enhancethe mirror effect, and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of ametal material having low transmittance. The mirror layer 540 may serveto guide reflection or refraction of light such that the light is heldin the color layer 530.

Since the color layer 530 and the mirror layer 540 are formed using alaminating method so as to have a coating effect, the material of thecolor layer 530 and the material of the mirror layer 540 may be stackedin the state of being separated rather than being mixed with each other.

The shielding layer 550 may be stacked on the mirror layer 540 stackedon the bent areas 510D. The shielding layer 550 may be a black layer,and may be formed using a silkscreen-printing method.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6 , a cover window may be fabricated using at leastone of a silkscreen-printing method and a film-laminating method. Ablack layer 625 and an optical pattern layer 620 may be stacked on therear face of a glass substrate 603 including a planar area 610A and bentareas 610D, and a color layer 630 may be stacked on the optical patternlayer 620 of the bent areas 610D starting from curved points P using ascreen-printing method. An optical adhesive layer 635 may be stacked onthe color layer 630. A mirror layer 640 may be stacked on the opticaladhesive layer 635 of the optical pattern layer 620 in the bent areas610D. The glass substrate 603 may have a structure in which a protectivelayer 665 is stacked on the mirror layer 640 using a film-laminatingmethod and the shielding layer 650 is stacked using a screen-printingmethod.

The upper face of the glass substrate 603 may be exposed on the frontface of the electronic device. In the glass substrate 603 including theplanar area 610A and the bent areas 610D, the upper faces of the leftand right partial bent areas 610D are formed as curved faces startingfrom the curved points P, and the rear faces of the left and rightpartial bent areas 610D are formed in a planar shape (e.g., a 2.5Dtype). A 2.5D-type glass substrate may have a curved shape in which theglass substrate is curved laterally in the bent areas 610D like theshape of the glass substrate 603. The 2.5D-type glass substrate may beimplemented in a straight shape like that of a glass substrate 603-1.The shape of the glass substrate of 603 or 603-1 may be applied to a2.5D-type glass substrate at the time of manufacturing an electronicdevice.

The black layer 625 may be a black-colored layer formed using black inkthrough a silkscreen-printing method. The optical pattern layer 620 maybe a black pattern layer having a plurality of patterns formed only inthe bent areas 610D starting from the curved points P of the glasssubstrate 603 using a laser-engraving method after the black layer isformed using black ink through a silkscreen-printing method. Each of thea plurality of patterns of the optical pattern layer 620 may beimplemented in the form of a hole, in which no black is present or fromwhich the black is stripped, only in the bent areas starting from thecurved points of the glass substrate.

The color layer 630 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 620 in the bent areas 610D. The color layer 630 may be atranslucent layer having a specific color and stacked using asilkscreen-printing method. The color layer 630 may serve to emit lightof a specific color due to an optical reaction between natural lightincident through the a plurality of patterns implemented on the opticalpattern layer 620 and the black layer 625 and light reflected by themirror layer 640.

The optical adhesive layer 635 may be formed of an adhesive material oftransparent double-sided tape-type OCA or a PSA on the planar area 610Aand the bent areas 610D in a planar shape. The optical adhesive layer635 serves to increase the adhesive effect between the color layer 630and the mirror layer 640 and to separate the material of the color layer630 and the material of the mirror layer 640 from each other so they arenot mixed with each other.

The mirror layer 640 may be deposited on the optical adhesive layer 635in the bent area, and may be formed of a laminated mirror having acoating effect. The mirror layer 640 may have a mirror effect of atleast 30% or more in order to enhance the mirror effect, and may bedeposited with an opaque coating layer of a metal material having lowtransmittance. Deposition may be performed using at least one ofsputtering and an E-beam process. The mirror layer 640 may serve toguide reflection or refraction of light such that the light is held inthe color layer 630. The mirror layer 640 may be deposited by theoptical adhesive layer 635 such that the material of the color layer 630and the material of the mirror layer 640 are not mixed with each other.

The protective layer 665 may be formed of a PET material, and may be alayer cured by irradiating a mold in which a PET film is formed withhigh-intensity UV in order to increase the hardenability thereof.

The shielding layer 650 may be stacked on the mirror layer 640 stackedon the bent areas 610D. The shielding layer 650 may be a black layer,and may be formed using a silkscreen-printing method.

FIG. 7A represents a difference in the optical effect of a cover window,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7B represents a difference in the optical effect of a cover window,according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the cover window glass may have astructure in which an optical pattern layer, a color layer, a mirrorlayer, and a shielding layer separately stacked on the rear face of thesubstrate, and may or may not self-emit light in the bent areas of theelectronic device, such as a peripheral area or an edge area.

The front face of the electronic device 700 may include a planar area710A in which a cover window is disposed in a planar shape, and bentareas 710D seamlessly connected to the planar area 710A. The planar area710A may be divided into a center portion in which a display fordisplaying information relating to driving (i.e. power management and/ordistribution) of the electronic device 700 is displayed, and a bezelportion 710E in the periphery thereof. The cover window may overlap atleast a portion of the bezel portion 710E to form bent areas 710D.Hereinafter, it is assumed that the bent areas 710D are in a peripheralarea or an edge area.

As illustrated in FIG. 7A, when natural light is not present, the bentarea 710D of the cover window may be exhibited as a black color. Sincenatural light is not present, there is no light passing through theplurality of patterns formed on the optical pattern layer and there isno optical effect whereby light is refracted or reflected by the mirrorlayer. Thus, no light is held in the color layer. As a result, whennatural light is not present, in the cover glass, a peripheral area orbent areas 710D may be exhibited as the black color of the opticalpattern layer. Although the shape of a plurality of patterns is clearlyillustrated in the drawings, when the bezel portion is implemented inthe black color, the peripheral area or bent areas do not exhibit thecolor of the color layer. Thus, the user may visually recognize thebezel portion as having a black color without pattern.

However, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, when natural light is present, thenatural light is incident into the mirror layer through the plurality ofpatterns formed on the optical pattern layer of the cover window and isheld in the color layer by the optical effect of the light refracted andreflected by the mirror layer, and light may exhibit the color of thecolor layer through the plurality of patterns. Although the plurality ofpatterns of the optical pattern layer are illustrated in the form inwhich the plurality of patterns are gradually enlarged as dots in theform of a gradation, the plurality of patterns of the optical patternlayer may be variously implemented depending on the design thereof. Forexample, when the color layer is implemented in a blue color, theperipheral area or the bent areas 710D of the cover window may exhibitthe blue color in the form of dots as a plurality of patterns in thepresence of natural light. Additionally or alternatively, when the colorlayer is implemented in a red color, the peripheral area or the bentareas 710D of the cover window may exhibit the red color in the presenceof natural light.

The cover window included in the electronic device of the disclosure iscapable of emitting light in the presence of natural light without aseparate light-emitting unit by forming a plurality of patterns capableof transmitting light therethrough only in the bent areas 710D bybending the peripheral area or edge area starting from the curved pointsand forming a stacked structure in the bent areas 710D such that thematerials of the color layer and the mirror layer are separated fromeach other rather than being mixed with each other. In addition, theelectronic device is capable of exhibiting or not exhibiting a colorcorresponding to the color layer in a peripheral area or an edge areathereof depending on the presence or absence of natural light, ratherthan exhibiting a color irrespective of natural light by artificiallyimplementing the color in the peripheral area or edge area.

As described above, the cover window implemented as the front plate maybe formed in a stacked structure in which materials of the color layerand the mirror layer are separated from each other rather than beingmixed with each other in an area in which the display is not disposed.

The shape of a cover window implemented with a rear plate irrespectiveof the disposal of a display will be described with reference to FIGS. 8to 11 .

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8 , a cover window of an electronic device may includea 3D-type substrate glass 803, which is divided into a planar area 810Aand bent areas 810D, and in which the upper and rear faces of the bentareas 810D are both curved. The 3D-type substrate glass 803 may bedisposed on the rear plate of the electronic device. The cover windowmay have a structure in which an optical pattern layer 820, a colorlayer 830, and a mirror layer 840 are stacked on a substrate glass 803of a 3D-type substrate glass 803 using a silkscreen-printing method.

The upper face of the glass substrate 803 may be exposed on the rearface of the electronic device, and may be formed of a transparent glassmaterial (e.g., conductive glass such as sapphire glass, FTO, or ITO), atransparent synthetic resin material, or a ceramic material. The glasssubstrate 803 may be formed of a transparent glass material (e.g.,conductive glass such as sapphire glass, FTO, or ITO), a transparentsynthetic resin material, or a ceramic material. The glass substrate 803may be shaped to have bent areas 810D, which are at least partially benton the upper face and the rear face thereof by an extrusion operation ofan upper mold.

The optical pattern layer 820 may be stacked and attached to the planararea 810A and the bent areas 810D of the rear surface of the glasssubstrate 803 along the bent shape. The optical pattern layer 820 may bea black pattern layer formed using a silkscreen-printing method. Theplanar area 810A of the optical pattern layer 820 may be black-coated,and a plurality of patterns may be printed on the bent areas 810Dstarting from the curved points. The black area stacked on the planararea 810A may serve to block components of the electronic devicedisposed under the planar area 810A and inside the cover window so asnot to be visible from the outside. Natural light may be incident on thecolor layer 830 and the mirror layer 840 through the plurality ofpatterns printed on the bent areas 810D.

The optical pattern layer 820 may be formed such that a plurality ofpatterns are arranged outwards from the curved points P or are arrangedso as to be increasing or decreasing towards the outside, using thesilkscreen-printing method. For example, each of the plurality ofpatterns in the bent areas 810D may be in the form of a hole in whichthe optical pattern layer 820 is not printed. The shapes, sizes,arrangement intervals, an increase form, or a decrease form in size ofthe plurality of patterns may be variously implemented depending on ascreen-printed design.

The color layer 830 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 820 along the bent shape, and may be a translucent layer havingany one specific color and stacked using a silkscreen-printing method.The color layer 830 may serve to emit light of a specific color due toan optical reaction between natural light incident through the pluralityof patterns implemented on the optical pattern layer 820 and lightreflected by the mirror layer 840.

The mirror layer 840 may be stacked on the color layer 830 along thebent shape such that the material of the color layer 830 and thematerial of the mirror layer 840 are separated from each other ratherthan being mixed with each other. The mirror layer 840 may have a mirroreffect of at least 55% or more in order to enhance the mirror effect,and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of a metal material havinglow transmittance. The mirror layer 840 may serve to guide reflection orrefraction of light such that the light is held in the color layer 830.The mirror layer 840 may be formed using a screen-printing method. Inaddition, the mirror layer 840 may be stacked using a printing methodafter the color layer 830 is formed, and after a drying process suchthat the material of the color layer 830 and the material of the mirrorlayer 840 are not mixed with each other.

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 9 , a cover window of an electronic device includes a3D-type substrate glass 903, which is divided into a planar area 910Aand bent areas 910D, and in which the upper and rear faces of the bentareas 910D are both curved. The 3D-type substrate glass 903 may bedisposed on the rear plate of the electronic device. The cover windowmay have a structure in which an optical adhesive layer 927 and alight-transmissive protective layer 925 are stacked on the rear face ofthe 3D-type glass substrate 903 along the bent shape, and an opticalpattern layer 920, a color layer 930, and a mirror layer 940 are stackedon the protective layer 925 using the film-laminating method.

The upper face of the glass substrate 903 may be exposed on the rearface of the electronic device. Since the glass substrate 903 is bent inthe bent areas not only in the upper face thereof but also in the rearface thereof, the optical pattern layer 920, the color layer 930, andthe mirror layer 940 may be stacked in the bent shape along the shape ofthe glass substrate 903.

The optical adhesive layer 927 may be formed of an adhesive material oftransparent double-sided tape-type OCA or PSA on the planar area 910Aand the bent areas 910D on the rear face of the glass substrate 903along the bent shape. The protective layer 925 may be made of alight-transmissive PET material. The optical adhesive layer 927 and theprotective layer 925 may serve to improve the optical effect of theoptical pattern layer 920 and to bond the optical pattern layer 920 andthe glass substrate 903 to each other.

The optical pattern layer 920 may be stacked using at least one of asilkscreen-printing method using black ink and a laser-engraving methodafter silkscreen printing. Each of the plurality of patterns of theoptical pattern layer 920 may be implemented in the form of a hole, inwhich no black is present or from which the black is stripped, only inthe bent areas starting from the curved points of the glass substrate903.

The color layer 930 may be stacked and attached along the bent shape ofthe optical pattern layer 920. The color layer 930 may be formed of alaminated mirror having a coating effect. The color layer 930 may serveto emit light of a specific color due to an optical reaction betweennatural light incident through the plurality of patterns implemented onthe optical pattern layer and light reflected by the mirror layer.

The mirror layer 940 may be deposited on the color layer 930 andseparated from the color layer 930 so as not to be mixed with thematerial of the color layer 930. The mirror layer 940 may be depositedon a laminated mirror film, may have a mirror effect of at least 55% ormore in order to enhance the mirror effect, and may be deposited with anopaque coating layer of a metal material having low transmittance. Themirror layer 940 may serve to guide reflection or refraction of lightsuch that the light is held in the color layer 930.

In the cover window, since the mirror layer 940 and the color layer 930are stacked separate from each other rather than being mixed with eachother, when natural light is present the cover window is capable ofcausing the bent areas 910D to exhibit the color of the color layer 930due to the optical action caused by the optical pattern layer 920, thecolor layer 930, and the mirror layer 940. In contrast, when no naturalis present, since the light passing through the optical pattern layer920 and reflected by the mirror layer 940 is not present, the bent areas910D of the cover window may exhibit the black color since no coloredlight reflected by the mirror layer is present.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 10 , a cover window of an electronic device includes a3D-type substrate glass 1003, which is divided into a planar area 1010Aand bent areas 1010D, and in which the upper and rear faces thereof areboth curved, but at least a part of each of the bent areas of the upperface has a linear shape. The 3D-type substrate glass 1003, in which atleast a part of each of the bent areas of the upper face has a linearshape, may be disposed on the rear plate of the electronic device. Thecover window may have a structure in which an optical pattern layer1020, a color layer 1030, and a mirror layer 1040 are stacked on asubstrate glass 1003 of a 3D-type substrate glass 1003, in which atleast a part of each of the bent areas of the upper face has a linearshape, using a silkscreen-printing method.

The upper face of the glass substrate 1003 may be exposed on the rearface of the electronic device. The glass substrate 1003 may be shapedsuch that at least a part of each of the upper and rear surfaces has abent area through the extrusion operation of an upper mold, and may thenbe shaped to have a linear shape through an etching process, a polishingprocess, or a sandblasting process at starting points S. The glasssubstrate 1003 may be formed of a transparent glass material (e.g.,conductive glass such as sapphire glass, FTO, or ITO), a transparentsynthetic resin material, or a ceramic material. The bent areas 1010D ofthe glass substrate 1003 may be fabricated by combining a curved shapehaving a predetermined curvature and a linear shape in various forms.

The optical pattern layer 1020 may be stacked and attached to the planararea 1010A and the bent areas 1010D of the rear surface of the glasssubstrate 1003 along the bent shape. The optical pattern layer 1020 mayserve to block components of the electronic device disposed under thecover window so as not to be visible from the outside.

The optical pattern layer 1020 may be a black pattern layer having aplurality of patterns formed in the bent areas 1010D from curved pointsP using a silkscreen-printing method. The planar area 1010A of theoptical pattern layer 1020 may be black-coated, and a plurality ofpatterns may be printed on the bent areas 1010D starting from the curvedpoints. For example, each of the plurality of patterns may be in theform of a hole in which the optical pattern layer 1020 is not printed.The shapes, sizes, arrangement intervals, an increase form in size, or adecrease form in size of the plurality of patterns may be variouslyimplemented depending on a screen-printed design.

The color layer 1030 may be stacked and attached to the optical patternlayer 1020 along the bent shape, and may be a translucent layer having aspecific color and stacked using a silkscreen-printing method. The colorlayer 1030 may serve to emit light of a specific color due to an opticalreaction between natural light incident through the a plurality ofpatterns implemented on the optical pattern layer 1020 and lightreflected by the mirror layer 1040.

The mirror layer 1040 may be stacked on the color layer 1030 along thebent shape such that the material of the color layer 1030 and thematerial of the mirror layer 1040 are separated from each other ratherthan being mixed with each other. The mirror layer 1040 may have amirror effect of at least 55% or more in order to enhance the mirroreffect, and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of a metal materialhaving low transmittance. The mirror layer 1040 may serve to guidereflection or refraction of light such that the light is held in thecolor layer 1030. The mirror layer 1040 may be formed using ascreen-printing method.

The mirror layer 1040 may be formed using a printing method afterforming the color layer 1030 using a printing method, and after a dryingprocess such that the material of the color layer 1030 and the materialof the mirror layer 1040 are not mixed with each other. The mirror layer1040 may be stacked using a printing method after the color layer 1030is formed, and after a drying process such that the material of thecolor layer 1030 and the material of the mirror layer 1040 are not mixedwith each other.

FIG. 11 illustrates a cross section of a cover glass, according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11 , a cover window of an electronic device includes a3D-type substrate glass 1103, which is divided into a planar area 1110Aand bent areas 1110D, and in which the upper and rear faces thereof areboth curved but at least a part of each of the bent areas of the upperface has a linear shape.

The 3D-type substrate glass 1103, in which at least a part of each ofthe bent areas of the upper face has a linear shape, may be disposed onthe rear plate of the electronic device. The glass substrate 1103 may beshaped such that at least a part of each of the upper and rear surfaceshas a bent area through the extrusion operation of an upper mold, andmay then be shaped to have a linear shape through an etching process, apolishing process, or a sandblasting process at starting points S.

Since the cover window is bent in the bent areas not only in the upperface thereof but also in the rear face thereof, an optical adhesivelayer 1127, a light-transmissive protective layer 1125, an opticalpattern layer 1120, a color layer 1130, and a mirror layer 1140 may bestacked in a bent shape along the bent shape of the glass substrate1103. The optical pattern layer 1120 and the color layer 1130 may bestacked using a film-laminating method and the mirror layer 1140 may bedeposited using a deposition method.

The optical adhesive layer 1127 may be formed of an adhesive material oftransparent double-sided tape-type OCA or PSA on the planar area 1110Aand the bent areas 1110D on the rear face of the glass substrate 1103along the bent shape. The protective layer 1125 may be made of a PETmaterial. The optical adhesive layer 1127 and the protective layer 1125may serve to improve the optical effect of the optical pattern layer1120 and to bond the optical pattern layer 1120 and the glass substrate1103 to each other.

The optical pattern layer 1103 may be stacked using at least one of asilkscreen-printing method using black ink and a laser-engraving methodafter the silkscreen-printing. Each of the plurality of patterns of theoptical pattern layer 1103 may be implemented in the form of a hole, inwhich no black is present, only in the bent areas starting from thecurved points of the glass substrate.

The color layer 1130 may be stacked and attached along the bent shape ofthe optical pattern layer 1120. The color layer 1130 may be formed of alaminated mirror having a coating effect. The color layer 1130 may serveto emit light in a specific color due to an optical reaction betweennatural light incident through the plurality of patterns implemented onthe optical pattern layer and light reflected by the mirror layer 1140.

The mirror layer 1140 may be deposited on the color layer 1130 so as tobe separated therefrom rather than being mixed with the material of thecolor layer 1130. The mirror layer 1140 may be deposited with alaminated mirror having a coating effect. The mirror layer 1140 may havea mirror effect of at least 55% or more in order to enhance the mirroreffect, and may be formed of an opaque coating layer of a metal materialhaving low transmittance. The mirror layer 1140 may serve to guidereflection or refraction of light such that the light is held in thecolor layer.

The cover window is applicable to various shapes of glass substrates asdescribed above, and may be implemented to generate an effect ofexhibiting the color of the color layer in the bent areas when naturallight is present by changing at least one of the sizes, shapes, ordisposed intervals of the plurality of patterns formed on the opticalpattern layer; the color density or transparency of the color layer; andthe luminance component of the mirror layer in correspondence to thecurved shape of the glass substrate exposed to the outside.

A cover window according to various embodiments may be included in atleast one of the front face and the rear face of an electronic device.For example, in a cover window disposed on the front face, a color layerand a mirror layer may be disposed only in a peripheral area or edgearea in addition to an area in which a display is disposed, and in thecover window disposed on the rear face, a color layer and a mirror layermay be disposed irrespective of whether the area is planar or bent. Whennatural light is present, due to the optical actions by an optical layerof the a plurality of patterns of an optical pattern layer, a colorlayer, and a mirror layer, which are disposed in the bent areas, thecover window is capable of generating an effect of exhibiting the colorof the color layer. In contrast, when natural light is not present,since there is no light passing through the plurality of patterns of theoptical pattern layer and reflected by the mirror layer, the bent areasin the cover window may be exhibited as a black color without exhibitingthe color of the color layer.

A cover window according to various embodiments comprises a glasssubstrate, an optical pattern layer stacked on a first area and a secondarea of the glass substrate, the optical pattern layer having aplurality of patterns formed in the second area, a color layer stackedon the optical pattern layer having the plurality of patterns formedtherein, and a mirror layer stacked on the color layer such that themirror layer and the color layer are separated from each other, wherein,in the second area of the glass substrate, natural light exhibits acolor of the color layer due to an optical reaction between the colorlayer and the mirror layer.

The optical pattern layer may be a black layer, and each of theplurality of patterns may be implemented in a form in which no black ispresent or from which a black color or ink is stripped.

The second area may be a bent area, at least a portion of which having acurved shape with reference to a curved point at which a curvature isgenerated, and the first area may be an area in which a display of anelectronic device is disposed.

The color layer may be a translucent color layer printed throughsilkscreen-printing using ink of a specific color, and the mirror layermay be stacked after a drying process is performed such that a materialof the color layer and a material of the mirror layer are not mixed witheach other.

The mirror layer may have a mirror effect of 55% or more and may beformed of an opaque coating layer having low transmittance.

The color layer may be formed such that, when natural light is present,the natural light transmitted through the a plurality of patterns of theoptical pattern layer is refracted and reflected by the mirror layer,and the natural light is held in the color layer and exhibits the colorof the color layer due to an optical reaction between the color layerand the mirror layer, and when no natural light is present, the colorlayer exhibits a black color.

The optical pattern layer may be printed using black ink such that thefirst area includes black and the second area includes a plurality ofpatterns.

The optical pattern layer may be formed such that a first black film isprinted in the first and second areas of the glass substrate using blackink, a second black film is printed on the first black film, and theplurality of patterns are formed in the second area through alaser-engraving method.

An optical adhesive layer and a light-transmissive protective layer maybe stacked between the glass substrate and the optical pattern layer.The optical pattern layer and the protective layer may be stacked usinga film-laminating method, and the mirror layer may be stacked using adeposition method.

The first area may be a peripheral area, at least a portion of whichoverlaps a bezel area of the electronic device. The glass substrate maybe a substrate in which at least a portion of the first face in thesecond area is shaped in a curved shape or a linear shape facing towarda second face thereof. The optical pattern layer may be stacked oppositethe first face and formed in a planar shape. The first face in thesecond area and the second face, which is opposite the first face, mayboth be shaped in a shape that is curved in one direction.

The color layer and the mirror layer may be disposed only in the secondarea.

At least one of sizes, shapes, or disposed intervals of the plurality ofpatterns formed in the optical pattern layer; a color density ortransparency of the color layer; and a luminance component of the mirrorlayer may be changed according to (i.e., corresponding to) the shape ofthe glass substrate.

The plurality of patterns formed in the optical pattern layer may beformed such that sizes of the plurality of patterns gradually increasestarting from a curved point, at which the optical pattern layer istransformed into the bent area, towards outside the cover window.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device comprises a coverwindow including a glass substrate, an optical pattern layer stacked ona first area and a second area of the glass substrate and having aplurality of patterns formed in the second area, a color layer stackedon the optical pattern layer having the plurality of patterns formedtherein, and a mirror layer stacked on the color layer such that themirror layer and the color layer are separated from each other. Theelectronic device may further include a display attached to the coverwindow in which the mirror layer is stacked, wherein, in the secondarea, natural light exhibits a color of the color layer due to anoptical reaction between the color layer and the mirror layer.

A shielding layer may be disposed between the mirror layer and thedisplay.

The first area may be a planar area, the second area may be a bent area,at least a portion of which has a curved shape with reference to acurved point, the optical pattern layer may be a black layer, and eachof the plurality of patterns may be implemented in the second area in ahole shape in which the black layer does not exist.

The color layer may be a translucent color layer printed using ink of aspecific color, the mirror layer may be stacked after a drying processis performed such that a material of the color layer and a material ofthe mirror layer are not mixed with each other. The mirror layer mayhave a mirror effect of 55% or more and may be formed of an opaquecoating layer having low transmittance.

The color layer may be formed such that, when natural light is present,the natural light transmitted through the plurality of patterns of theoptical pattern layer is refracted and reflected by the mirror layer,and the natural light may be held in the color layer and exhibit thecolor of the color layer due to an optical reaction between the colorlayer and the mirror layer. Additionally, when no natural light ispresent, the color layer may exhibit a black color.

The second area may be a peripheral area, at least a portion of whichoverlaps a bezel area of the electronic device. The color layer and themirror layer may be stacked only in the second area in which the displayis not disposed.

While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover for an electronic device, the cover platecomprising: a transparent substrate including a first surface and asecond surface opposite to the first surface; a pattern layer having afirst color and formed on the second surface of the transparentsubstrate, the pattern layer including one or more holes formed in aportion of the pattern layer; a light reflection layer formed beneaththe pattern layer and including a reflecting surface facing the patternlayer; and a color layer having a second color different than the firstcolor, the color layer being formed between the pattern layer and thelight reflection layer, wherein the reflecting surface is formed suchthat light reflected on the reflecting surface passes through the colorlayer and at least a portion of the one or more holes.
 2. The cover ofclaim 1, wherein the pattern layer comprises a first area and a secondarea, wherein the one or more holes formed in the portion of the patternlayer correspond to the second area, and wherein the first area isformed in an inner portion of the second surface of the transparentsubstrate and the second area is formed in a peripheral portion of thesecond surface surrounding the inner portion.
 3. The cover of claim 1,wherein the second surface of the transparent substrate includes a thirdarea corresponding to a part of the first area, and wherein the patternlayer is not formed on the third area.
 4. The cover of claim 1, whereinthe light reflection layer includes a metal substrate having areflection ratio greater than or equal to 55 percent.
 5. The cover ofclaim 1, wherein the pattern layer comprises a plurality of holesincluding a first hole pattern having a first shape and a second holepattern having a second shape.
 6. The cover of claim 1, wherein aperiphery of the transparent substrate is curved.
 7. An electronicdevice comprising: a housing including an opening formed therein; and acover attached to the housing and being positioned over the opening, thecover plate including: a transparent substrate including a first surfaceand a second surface opposite to the first surface; a pattern layerhaving a first color and formed on the second surface of the transparentsubstrate, the pattern layer including one or more holes formed in aportion of the pattern layer; a light reflection layer formed beneaththe pattern layer and including a reflecting surface facing the patternlayer; and a color layer having a second color different than the firstcolor, the color layer being formed between the pattern layer and thelight reflection layer, wherein the reflecting surface is formed suchthat light reflected on the reflecting surface passes through the colorlayer and at least a portion of the one or more holes.
 8. The electronicdevice of claim 7, wherein the pattern layer comprises a first area anda second area, wherein the one or more holes formed in the portion ofthe pattern layer correspond to the second area, and wherein the firstarea is formed in an inner portion of the second surface of thetransparent substrate and the second area is formed in a peripheralportion of the second surface surrounding the inner portion.
 9. Theelectronic device of claim 7, wherein the second surface of thetransparent substrate includes a third area corresponding to a part ofthe first area, and wherein the pattern layer is not formed on the thirdarea.
 10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising: adisplay disposed on the opening of the housing, the display beingaligned with the third area such that at least part of the display isvisually exposed through the third area.
 11. The electronic device ofclaim 7, wherein the light reflection layer includes a metal substratehaving a reflection ratio greater than or equal to 55 percent.
 12. Theelectronic device of claim 7, wherein the pattern layer comprises aplurality of holes including a first hole pattern having a first shapeand a second hole pattern having a second shape.
 13. The electronicdevice of claim 7, wherein a periphery of the transparent substrate iscurved.
 14. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second areacomprises a portion that overlaps a bezel area of the electronic device.15. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first surface of thetransparent substrate comprises a planar area and a bent area, the bentarea having a curved shape with reference to a curved point at whichcurvature is generated, and wherein the bent area corresponds to theperipheral portion.
 16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein thepattern layer is formed such that sizes of the holes gradually increasetoward an outside area starting from the curved point at which thepattern layer is transformed into the bent area.
 17. The electronicdevice of claim 7, wherein the first surface of the transparentsubstrate and the second surface of the transparent substrate have ashape that is curved in a same direction.
 18. The electronic device ofclaim 7, wherein the pattern layer is formed by printing a first colorfilm in the first and second areas of the transparent substrate andforming the one or more holes in the portion of the pattern layercorresponding to the second area.